Venetian Wedding Cakes for George Clooney
This weekend is reportedly the weekend for George Clooney, who will marry attorney Alma Alamuddin amidst the fairytale canals of Venice, Italy. Details of the affair—which will likely be sublime and magical and jealousy-inducing—are few and far between, but as soon as we heard it was in Venice, we thought of someone whose wedding cakes are as intricate and beautiful as that part of the world.
Sugar artist and cake designer Margaret Braun’s Venetian-inspired creations have graced the nuptials of celebrities such as Mariah Carey, Bobby Flay, and Marilyn Manson.
"Venice is so beautiful and there’s just so much to draw from, from mosaics to medieval pathways and high Renaissance architecture," Braun told us. She envisions a several-tiered cake with intricate designs reflecting the city's architecture and swathed in shades of lapis blue, cadmium orange, shimmering pearl, marble-hued white, and gold.
"It would look really beautiful, but also a little bit faded... like a beautiful old new thing."
As for the flavor, Braun would go “rich and decadent”—a chocolate-almond cake layered with cardamom-infused chocolate ganache and caramelized fig compote. Each tier would have a minimum of seven layers to ensure that "every flavor is in every bite" that the guests would take.
Braun likes her cakes "tall and slender and graceful"—but her creations aren't as difficult to serve as you might think. "The top tier you [save for] your first anniversary, but below that you just cut it in concentric circles. Cakes are meant to be eaten!"
Might Clooney enjoy a groom's cake? Braun doesn't make many of these, as they’ve gone somewhat out of fashion.
And did Braun have any inside-the-desserts world intel for us as to who would be making the cake? She doesn't know, but should there be a last-minute cancellation, she’s happy to jump in.
